Francesco Ignazio Scodnik or -Franc Ignacij Škodnik in Slovenian - was born into a Gorizian – Lombard family in the present day Kanal ob Soci now Slovenjia.
He lost his father in infancy, and was raised by his eldest brother Pietro, in Segna, now Senj in Croatia who was a Military Auditor.
At the beginning of 1821 Scodnik was assigned to the cadet company with the 23 Infantry Regiment “Feldmarschall-Lieutenant Graf Ceccopieri” in Cremona, Italy, where his brother Giuseppe was also serving.
It appears that during his assignment in Cremona, where his mother was living, and where she also died in June 1844, he started reading about Italian history, and become involved in politics.
After the First Italian War of Independence, Scodnik entered into the Royal Piedmont Army, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Their marriage produced three children, two daughters, Melania a writer, Irene who later married another prominent Italian irredentist and red skirts Officer, Matteo Renato Imbriani, and a son, Enrico.